Consortium Agreements

Presented by: Julie Martin Coordinator of Scholarships, Saint Louis University Laura Feuerbacher Guffey Financial Aid Counselor, Saint Louis University

Background

  Julie Martin – BS in Mathematics, Webster University – – BA in Business Management, Webster University FA counselor at Cincinnati Bible College, University of Cincinnati-Raymond Walters College, and SLU.

Laura Feuerbacher Guffey – – M.Ed Counseling Psychology, Mizzou PhD candidate, Higher Education, Saint Louis University, May 2009

The Basics!

  The Difference Between a Home institution and Host institution? – – A Home Institution is the school where the student is enrolled in a degree or certificate program.

A Host institution is the school where the student is taking part of his or her program requirements through either a consortium or contractual agreement. What is a consortium agreement?

– An agreement between two or more institutions in order for the student to receive FSA funds while studying at a school or organization other than the student’s “home” institution AND the courses count towards a degree program at the home institution.

Basics Continued…

 Who do you involve?

– Financial Aid staff at home & host institutions – – Academic Dean(s) Registrars Office; for notification of drop/withdrawal  Agreements can go on indefinitely with other schools unless otherwise stated in the agreement. They can also be written for one student or multiple students.

Basics Continued…

 Elements of a Written Consortium Agreement – The Department of Higher Education does NOT have a specific format to use for a consortium agreement. – The following elements are required:  The name of the home institution  Budget or cost of attendance at each institution  Enrollment status at each institution  Indicate the institution responsible for disbursing aid and monitoring eligibility. (typically the home institution).  FA office procedures when student withdraws/cancels/drops below full-time/part-time.

Basics Continued…

 Contractual Agreements – Highlighted in the student handbook Chapter 7 – When an eligible school signs an agreement with an ineligible school under which the ineligible school provides part of the educational program for students enrolled at the eligible school. – If you have questions about this particular agreement please contact the presenters for follow up.

Federal Information/Resources

 Information for Financial Aid Personnel Library (IFAP) – – – http://www.ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/Vol2Ch70 809.pdf

Students should understand that credit may not be given by the home school for grades not sufficient for the home school, even if the host school considers the grade acceptable.

Credits taken at a host school must be calculated in quantitative piece of a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (credits earned vs. credits attempted)

Federal Information/Resources cont.

 – Agreements to participate in the

TEACH

Grant began with the 2008 2009 academic year. Schools with consortium or articulations agreements may award the TEACH Grant.

http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2008/gen0807.html



GEN-08-07

: Institutional Eligibility for the

TEACH

Grant Program The institution does not have a teacher preparation program but it – – Provides one or more two-year programs of study that are acceptable for full credit to either a baccalaureate teacher preparation degree program or a baccalaureate degree program in a high-need field at another TEACH Grant-eligible institution with which it has an agreement See Example, next page.

GEN-08-07

 School #1 can award TEACH if: Full Credit #1 -no teacher prep program -At least one, 2-year program of study #2 -TEACH eligible -Bachelors in teacher prep or Bachelors in High Need Field

GEN-08 07 continued…

 Offers a baccalaureate degree that, in combination with other training or experience, will prepare a student to teach in a high need field and has an agreement with another institution that offers a teacher preparation program or a post-baccalaureate program that prepares students to teach #1 -no teacher prep program -Bachelors degree -training or experience -to teach in high need field Agreement #2 -teacher prep program -post-bach program teacher prep

GEN-08 07 continued…

 Offers a post-baccalaureate program that will prepare a student to teach, but does not offer a baccalaureate teacher preparation program.

-no teacher prep program -post-bachelors prep to teach -no bachelors teacher prep

State Information/Resources

  Access MO – Home institution allowed to pay if student is considered full-time AND host institution is a Missouri institution that has been approved for participation for the CBHE.

Bright Flight – – – Allowed to pay when student is in a consortium agreement if home institution considers student to be full-time AND host institution is a Missouri institution that has been approved for participation by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE).

The “plan is to present the revised rules to the CBHE for approval at the December 2008 meeting”. (Kellie Reed, MDHE) Can be deferred up to 27 continuous months if participating in an international student exchange program

Saint Louis University Information

 SLU’s policies – Must have Dean’s signature on consortium form – – Host institution must be a Title IV eligible school Students are eligible for federal and state aid, but not SLU merit aid. – Consortium agreement is for one semester only. If attending another institution for longer he/she must complete an agreement for every semester.

Saint Louis University Information Continued…

 The student must be degree seeking at the home institution  When is a student allowed to do a consortium agreement?

– – Studying abroad for a semester Needs a class to graduate and dean “okays” it – Family illness

Example 1

 Allison  Attending University of Granada Spain  Taking 15 hours of class  What financial aid is she eligible for while studying abroad?

 Once financial aid eligibility is determined then cancel any aid she will not be able to use.

Example 1 continued…

 When creating the budget you have to manually change it.  Fall semester in Granada Spain + Spring semester at SLU

Example 1 continued…

 Once the budget has been updated you must notify the Registrar’s office.

  Send them a copy of all forms you received from the student’s host institution.

The Registrar’s office will then be able to note the system that student is enrolled full time and is not in the grace period of loan repayment.

Example 2

 Anna  Attending Logan College of Chiropractic  Did not pass class at SLU  What financial aid is the student eligible for?

– Hint – the host school she is attending is a Missouri school

Issues/Problems/Examples/Resolution

      Drops Changes in registration Complete withdraw Good communication with other offices Example – short term loan Resolution or term. – marking the file in the computer system, paper file, student responsibility (agrees to notify the offices of schedule changes), and follow up with departments at a certain point in the semester

Contact Information

 Laura Guffey – [email protected]

– (314)977-4208  Julie Martin – [email protected]

– (314)977-4211

Thank You!!!!